Crab Nebula
A rapidly expanding cloud of gas and dust left over from a supernova observed in 1054 AD
Redo with EdgeHD8Catalog progress
A 110-object imaging project.
The Messier Catalog is a collection of 110 galaxies, nebulae, and star clusters. This page tracks the long-term goal of imaging every object.
11Completed
6In progress
16Redo list
110Catalog objects
Globular Cluster
A dense
Not startedGlobular Cluster
One of the richest globular clusters in the sky
Redo with EdgeHD8Globular Cluster
The closest globular cluster to Earth
Not startedGlobular Cluster
A very old and massive cluster containing over 100
Redo with EdgeHD8Butterfly Cluster
A bright open cluster whose star pattern loosely resembles butterfly wings.
Not startedPtolemy’s Cluster
A large and bright naked-eye cluster made up of young
Not startedLagoon Nebula
A huge stellar nursery containing glowing hydrogen gas
Not startedGlobular Cluster
A compact globular cluster near the galactic center
Not startedGlobular Cluster
A bright globular cluster with a dense core and slightly elongated shape from tidal effects.
Not startedWild Duck Cluster
One of the richest open clusters
Not startedGlobular Cluster
A loosely concentrated globular cluster with stars more evenly distributed than most similar clusters.
Not startedHercules Globular Cluster
One of the brightest globular clusters
Redo with EdgeHD8Globular Cluster
A dense cluster rich in variable stars and showing a relatively low metallicity population.
Not startedGlobular Cluster
An extremely compact globular cluster with a dense core and a rare embedded planetary nebula.
Not startedEagle Nebula
A vast star-forming region famous for the “Pillars of Creation
CompletedOmega Nebula
A bright cloud shaped like a swan or checkmark
Not startedOpen Cluster
A small and loose open cluster embedded in a dense star field in Sagittarius.
Not startedGlobular Cluster
An unusually elongated globular cluster distorted by gravitational forces near the galactic center.
Not startedTrifid Nebula
A complex nebula with dark dust lanes that divide it into three sections mixing glowing and reflective regions.
Not startedOpen Cluster
A young cluster of hot blue stars located near the Trifid Nebula.
Not startedSagittarius Globular Cluster
A bright and nearby globular cluster containing hundreds of thousands of stars and planetary nebulae.
Not startedOpen Cluster
A large and bright open cluster with widely spaced young stars.
Not startedSagittarius Star Cloud
A dense region of the Milky Way rich in stars
Not startedOpen Cluster
A loose naked-eye cluster containing several bright giant stars.
Not startedOpen Cluster
A faint and compact open cluster located in a dense galactic field.
Not startedDumbbell Nebula
A shell of glowing gas expelled by a dying star
Not startedGlobular Cluster
A dense globular cluster containing several millisecond pulsars near the galactic center.
Not startedOpen Cluster
A small and sparse grouping of bright stars in the constellation Cygnus.
Not startedGlobular Cluster
A very compact globular cluster with a collapsed core in Capricornus.
Not startedAndromeda Galaxy
The nearest major spiral galaxy to the Milky Way
CompletedElliptical Galaxy
A compact satellite galaxy of Andromeda with a very dense stellar core.
CompletedTriangulum Galaxy
A face-on spiral galaxy and one of the most distant objects visible to the naked eye
CompletedOpen Cluster
A relatively young open cluster composed of many bright blue-white stars.
Redo- OverexposedOpen Cluster
A large and bright cluster near Gemini’s foot
In Process - Awaiting StackingOpen Cluster
A compact cluster in Auriga made up of young
In Process - ImagingOpen Cluster
The richest open cluster in Auriga
In Process - ImagingOpen Cluster
A loose cluster whose pattern resembles a cross or the Greek letter Pi.
In Process - ImagingOpen Cluster
A large but sparse cluster of bright stars easily visible with binoculars.
Not startedWinnecke 4
A pair of unrelated stars appearing close together that were misidentified as a nebula.
In Process - Awaiting StackingOpen Cluster
A bright cluster south of Sirius containing a mix of young and evolved stars.
Not startedOrion Nebula
The closest massive stellar nursery to Earth
CompletedDe Mairan’s Nebula
A bright region of gas separated from the Orion Nebula by a dark dust lane.
Not startedBeehive Cluster
A bright and ancient naked-eye cluster known since classical antiquity.
Redo with RedcatPleiades
A very young and nearby cluster famous for its bright blue stars and surrounding reflection nebulosity.
CompletedOpen Cluster
A rich open cluster that contains the planetary nebula NGC 2438.
Completed*Open Cluster
A sparse but bright cluster of young stars.
CompletedOpen Cluster
A wide and loose cluster visible with binoculars.
Not startedElliptical Galaxy
A giant elliptical galaxy in the Virgo Cluster surrounded by numerous satellite systems.
Redo with EdgeHD8Open Cluster
A heart-shaped open cluster containing dozens of young
Not startedWhirlpool Galaxy
A grand-design spiral galaxy interacting with a companion
Completed - 4/13/26Open Cluster
A compact cluster rich in faint stars near the Bubble Nebula.
Not startedGlobular Cluster
A dense globular cluster located near NGC 5053 in Coma Berenices.
Redo with EdgeHD8Globular Cluster
A globular cluster belonging to the Sagittarius Dwarf Galaxy as it merges with the Milky Way.
Not startedGlobular Cluster
A nearby
Not startedGlobular Cluster
A moderately compact cluster of very old
Not startedRing Nebula
A glowing ring formed from shell gas ejected by a dying Sun-like star.
Not startedSpiral Galaxy
A barred spiral galaxy in Virgo with reduced star formation compared to similar systems.
Redo with EdgeHD8Elliptical Galaxy
A compact elliptical galaxy with a dense and smooth stellar distribution.
Redo with EdgeHD8Elliptical Galaxy
A massive elliptical galaxy hosting a supermassive black hole and interacting with nearby galaxies.
Not startedSpiral Galaxy
A face-on spiral galaxy notable for its high number of observed supernovae.
Not startedGlobular Cluster
A bright cluster distorted by strong tidal forces near the galactic center.
Not startedSunflower Galaxy
A spiral galaxy with a patchy
Redo with EdgeHD8Black Eye Galaxy
A galaxy with a striking dark dust lane creating the look of a black eye near the bright core.
Not startedSpiral Galaxy
A member of the Leo Triplet with defined spiral structure and ongoing star formation.
Not startedSpiral Galaxy
A distorted member of the Leo Triplet shaped by gravitational interactions.
Not startedOpen Cluster
One of the oldest open clusters
In ProcessGlobular Cluster
A metal-poor cluster with an irregular shape due to tidal interactions.
Not startedGlobular Cluster
A compact cluster near the galactic center
Not startedGlobular Cluster
A dense cluster located near M69
Not startedGlobular Cluster
A loosely concentrated cluster showing features between open and globular clusters.
Not startedGlobular Cluster
A faint and distant globular cluster in Aquarius.
Not startedAsterism
A chance alignment of stars once thought to be a true star cluster.
Not startedPhantom Galaxy
A face-on spiral galaxy with very low surface brightness and delicate spiral structure.
Not startedGlobular Cluster
A compact and distant globular cluster with a dense central nucleus.
Not startedLittle Dumbbell Nebula
A bipolar nebula formed by powerful stellar winds from a dying star.
Not startedCetus A
An active galaxy powered by a supermassive black hole producing strong core emissions.
Not startedReflection Nebula
A bright nebula shining by reflected starlight from nearby hot stars embedded in dark dust.
Not startedGlobular Cluster
A cluster thought to have been captured by the Milky Way from another galaxy.
Not startedGlobular Cluster
One of the densest known globular clusters with an extremely packed core.
Not startedBode’s Galaxy
A bright nearby spiral with well-defined arms and a massive central bulge.
CompletedCigar Galaxy
A highly active galaxy undergoing intense star formation with strong galactic winds.
Not startedSouthern Pinwheel Galaxy
A face-on spiral galaxy rich in star formation and frequent supernova activity.
Not startedLenticular Galaxy
A smooth Virgo Cluster galaxy containing a large central black hole.
Not startedLenticular Galaxy
A transition galaxy showing characteristics of both elliptical and spiral galaxies.
Not startedElliptical Galaxy
A high-velocity galaxy moving through the Virgo Cluster trailing stripped gas.
Not startedVirgo A
A giant galaxy famous for a jet of energized particles driven by a supermassive black hole.
Not startedSpiral Galaxy
A bright spiral galaxy in Virgo with tightly wound spiral arms.
Not startedElliptical Galaxy
A nearly spherical galaxy with a smooth and featureless form.
Not startedSpiral Galaxy
A galaxy whose outer gas is being stripped as it travels through the Virgo Cluster.
Not startedBarred Spiral Galaxy
A faint barred spiral galaxy with a distinct central bar.
Not startedGlobular Cluster
A very bright and dense globular cluster nearly rivaling M13.
Not startedOpen Cluster
A bright
Not startedSpiral Galaxy
A galaxy with a brilliant core surrounded by a faint star-forming ring.
Not startedBarred Spiral Galaxy
A barred spiral galaxy showing a ring of star formation near its center.
Not startedSpiral Galaxy
A dusty spiral galaxy that is a main member of the Leo I Group.
Redo with EdgeHD8Owl Nebula
A round nebula with dark patches that resemble owl eyes.
Not startedSpiral Galaxy
A highly inclined spiral galaxy with strong dust absorption features.
Not startedSpiral Galaxy
An asymmetric spiral galaxy with one arm more extended from past gravitational encounters.
Not startedSpiral Galaxy
A grand-design spiral galaxy with intense star formation in arms and core.
Not startedPinwheel Galaxy
A giant spiral galaxy with sprawling arms and hundreds of visible star-forming regions.
Completed - Redo with EdgeHD8?Lenticular Galaxy
Usually considered a duplicate of M101
Not startedOpen Cluster
A small and compact cluster near the Cassiopeia region of the Milky Way.
Not startedSombrero Galaxy
A bright galaxy with a dark dust lane and prominent central bulge resembling a sombrero.
Redo with EdgeHD8Elliptical Galaxy
A smooth elliptical galaxy that is part of the Leo I galaxy group.
Not startedSpiral Galaxy
A galaxy with an active nucleus and strong water vapor maser emissions.
Redo with EdgeHD8Globular Cluster
A loose cluster crossed by dark dust lanes.
Not startedSpiral Galaxy
An edge-on spiral galaxy with a chaotic and clumpy internal structure.
Not startedBarred Spiral Galaxy
A faint barred spiral galaxy with subtle arms and a weak outer ring.
Redo with EdgeHD8Elliptical Galaxy
A diffuse satellite of Andromeda containing both ancient and intermediate-age stars.
Not started